Mobile machines, for example those equipped with a work arm, may be provided with systems known as ride control. Such systems commonly fluidly connect a hydraulic accumulator to a hydraulic cylinder provided to support the work arm. During movement of the machine fluid can transfer between the cylinder and the accumulator allowing for a travel of the work arm relative to the rest of the machine. By providing such arrangement it is found that a fore/aft rocking movement of the machine may be reduced as the ride control will absorb some of the energy created by the inertial forces between the work arm and the rest of the machine.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,146, a variable rate ride control system is known in which an accumulator arrangement is connected through a first valve mechanism to the loaded end of an actuator to provide a cushion or damping of the sudden changes in force. The first valve mechanism controls the magnitude of the damping in response to the rate of flow between the actuator and the accumulator arrangement via an infinitely variable flow control mechanism. However, the system is fairly costly, requires complex controls and provides only limited selectivity.
The current disclosure aims to improve upon some or all of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.